Public Libraries – Library Stuffhttp://www.librarystuff.net
The library weblog dedicated to resources for keeping current and professional developmentMon, 24 Jul 2017 15:27:25 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.194718154Millennials Are Using Public Libraries More Than Any Other Generationhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2017/06/22/millennials-are-using-public-libraries-more-than-any-other-generation/
http://www.librarystuff.net/2017/06/22/millennials-are-using-public-libraries-more-than-any-other-generation/#respondThu, 22 Jun 2017 17:16:37 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=19639“Most likely to prioritize avocado toast over home ownership. Most likely to hate cereal. Millennials get stuck with the most grating superlatives, but according to a Pew Research Center report from last fall, they’re getting a lot of things right, too. The generation frequents public libraries more often than members of any other age group.A blog published on the center’s site on Wednesday says, “53% of Millennials (those ages 18 to 35 at the time) say they used a library or bookmobile in the previous 12 months. That compares with 45% of Gen Xers, 43% of Baby Boomers and 36% of those in the Silent Generation.” (via HuffPost)
]]>http://www.librarystuff.net/2017/06/22/millennials-are-using-public-libraries-more-than-any-other-generation/feed/019639Coffee to diversity: Meet Newark’s new librarian, and his big planshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2017/03/16/coffee-to-diversity-meet-newarks-new-librarian-and-his-big-plans/
Thu, 16 Mar 2017 11:47:23 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=19316“The city’s public library has a new leader and he’s eager to widen the library’s reach in the community — starting with a new coffee shop. “I really see the library as a hub,” said Jeffrey Trzeciak, 50, who was appointed director of the Newark Public Library last month. “In some ways drawing people in but also connecting us and providing the glue that brings together all these organizations.” (via NJ.com)
]]>19316Pueblo library district opposing city pot store applicationhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2017/03/05/pueblo-library-district-opposing-city-pot-store-application/
Sun, 05 Mar 2017 18:57:19 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=19276“The Pueblo City-County Library District is sending up red flares of opposition to one application for a city recreational marijuana store, which could be located across the street from the main library on Abriendo Avenue.The city’s Marijuana Licensing Authority is having three nights of meetings next week — Tuesday through Thursday — to review 15 applications for a recreational store license. The board will select eight next Friday to move on in the licensing process.” (via Pueblo Chieftain)
]]>19276Libraries can be a health lifeline for people most at riskhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/11/11/libraries-can-be-a-health-lifeline-for-people-most-at-risk/
Fri, 11 Nov 2016 12:56:40 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=18956“Public libraries can provide vital support for people at high risk for health problems such as new immigrants and people dealing with homelessness, mental illness and substance use, say U.S. researchers.Their analysis of Philadelphia libraries and how communities use them concludes that libraries can offer specific programs that directly and indirectly improve health, such as classes to improve skills or literacy. Librarians can also act as support figures, connecting people with resources for basic needs like housing.” (via Reuters)
]]>18956Libraries in the age of inequalityhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/09/27/libraries-in-the-age-of-inequality/
Tue, 27 Sep 2016 18:36:38 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=18824“Trying to predict the future of anything — let alone public libraries — is a tricky task. But unequivocally we can say this: Libraries are not about to become purely digital endeavors. The notion that e-books will completely replace physical books is tired.So rather than dwelling on that topic, which has become a favorite pastime of armchair futurists, let’s focus on the people affected by libraries instead of the collections contained within them. Whether individuals prefer paperbacks or reading on a mobile device is trivial compared to the fact that American society is becoming highly unequal. The trend suggests a Dickensian future — albeit one filled with smartphones. The real question is: How will the mission of public libraries evolve in a world filled with such gross inequality?” (via Houston Chronicle)
]]>18824‘Amazing, spectacular, awesome’ new Havre de Grace Library opens to raveshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/06/16/amazing-spectacular-awesome-new-havre-de-grace-library-opens-to-raves/
Thu, 16 Jun 2016 11:49:03 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=18396“Denise Sconion has worked for many years at the Havre de Grace Library and what she sees in her new workplace had her beaming with pride Wednesday morning. “This is amazing,” Sconion said as library patrons gathered in front of the circulation desk after the new Havre de Grace Library formally opened. “I’m very proud of this building,” Sconion, who celebrated her 40th year with the library in 2015, said. “I’ve seen a lot of changes.” (via Baltimore Sun)
]]>18396Is your local library a bestseller? — Mass. circulation rates tell an interesting talehttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/04/25/is-your-local-library-a-bestseller-mass-circulation-rates-tell-an-interesting-tale/
Mon, 25 Apr 2016 19:11:20 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=18141“In terms of circulation, some Massachusetts libraries are bestsellers. For others, it’s a totally different story. Data from the state Board of Library Commissioners show that certain communities see their library materials checked out far more frequently than others — in some cases, a startling 100 times more. The following map suggests that some of the busiest libraries in the state are on Cape Cod and the islands, in a cluster of affluent suburbs west of Boston, and in a few smaller communities in western Massachusetts.” (via The Boston Globe)
]]>18141SURVEY SHOWS FEWER AMERICANS ARE VISITING LIBRARIEShttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/04/07/survey-shows-fewer-americans-are-visiting-libraries/
Thu, 07 Apr 2016 16:23:39 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=18070“Fewer Americans are visiting libraries – which means they’re missing out on the changes at such institutions, according to results of a Pew Research Center survey released Thursday at the Public Library Association’s annual conference in Denver.Pew has been asking American adults whether they visited a library in the past year. The first time, in 2012, 53 percent said yes. That has dropped steadily, to 44 percent last year.” (via The Associated Press)
]]>18070The reinvention of libraries, from public spaces to living roomshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/03/25/the-reinvention-of-libraries-from-public-spaces-to-living-rooms/
Sat, 26 Mar 2016 01:24:01 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=17965“A decade ago, when print sales began to dwindle, and countless bookstores closed their doors, no one could have predicted that real, hard-copy books were going to make a return – with a vengeance. Today, not only are book sales rising (industry organization BookNet reports that print copies accounted for 80 per cent of total book sales in Canada last year), but public libraries are becoming increasingly cool places to hang out.” (via The Globe and Mail)
]]>17965Adapt or die: The evolution of Louisville’s public librarieshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/03/02/adapt-or-die-the-evolution-of-louisvilles-public-libraries/
Wed, 02 Mar 2016 19:42:21 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=17813“For decades, libraries were simply repositories for books — a place where knowledge was stored by ink and paper, and if you wanted to learn about a subject you had to scour the stacks of books to find exactly what you were looking for.Today, the Internet is that place (or at least some of it is), where people go to learn about almost anything. The human experience, and nearly everything we have learned in our centuries of existence, has been digitized and is easily accessed by the smartphone in your pocket.Yet we still have libraries, quite a few actually, so how are they surviving in this digital age? They evolved. (via LEO Weekly)
]]>17813Deb Fallows on The Local Libraryhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/02/09/deb-fallows-on-the-local-library/
Tue, 09 Feb 2016 13:38:40 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=17696“As we traveled around the U.S. reporting on the revival of towns and cities, we always made the local library an early stop. We’d hit the newspaper offices, the chamber of commerce, city hall, and Main Street for an introduction to the economics, politics, and stresses of a town. The visit to the public library revealed its heart and soul.The traditional impression of libraries as places for quiet reading, research, and borrowing books—and of librarians as schoolmarmish shush-ers—is outdated, as they have metamorphosed into bustling civic centers. For instance, Deschutes Public Library in Bend, Oregon, now cooperates with dozens of organizations, from AARP (which helps people with their taxes) to Goodwill (which teaches résumé writing). A social worker trains staff to guide conversations about one of the most frequent questions people trustingly bring into the library: Can you help me figure out how to meet my housing costs?” (via The Atlantic)
]]>17696A handy sign that a local government is shirking its public duty: privatizing the libraryhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/02/02/a-handy-sign-that-a-local-government-is-shirking-its-public-duty-privatizing-the-library/
Tue, 02 Feb 2016 14:13:07 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=17658“The list of responsibilities that a local government must shoulder isn’t an especially long one. Typically it includes keeping the streets paved and the streetlights lit, maintaining adequate police and fire services, inspecting buildings, sometimes providing water. One hallmark of almost every local jurisdiction is the free public library. So the proposal before the Kern County supervisors to turn over the county library system to a private company operating out of suburban Maryland marks a major step. If you’re looking for a sign that local political leaders are intent on giving up all pretense of working for the public interest, look no further. (via LA Times)
]]>17658Libraries for the 21st Century: It’s A Family Thinghttp://www.librarystuff.net/2016/01/06/libraries-for-the-21st-century-its-a-family-thing/
Wed, 06 Jan 2016 13:02:11 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=17552“With generous funding from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Harvard Family Research Project is delighted to partner with the Public Library Association (PLA) on a new project to explore family engagement in children’s learning through libraries. For families, family engagement is about the knowledge, attitudes, values, and behaviors that enable children to be motivated, enthusiastic, and successful learners. For schools and libraries, family engagement means respectful partnerships that offer the information, guidance, and opportunities for families to be active in their children’s learning and development.” (via Harvard Family Research Project)
]]>17552Patrons split on how fast libraries should move into the digital agehttp://www.librarystuff.net/2015/09/20/patrons-split-on-how-fast-libraries-should-move-into-the-digital-age/
Sun, 20 Sep 2015 23:36:48 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=17013“The word “library” conjures up a very specific image for most people: rows upon rows of books. But as libraries evolve into a place for more digital research, and teach a different kind of literacy, how long should the bookshelves stay? That’s one of the questions the Pew Research Center has asked in a new survey focused on library use — and it got some very divided answers.” (via Washington Post)
]]>17013Remarkable Lessons In Innovation From A Public Libraryhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2015/02/25/remarkable-lessons-in-innovation-from-a-public-library/
Wed, 25 Feb 2015 16:56:28 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=16299“There are two ways to run a public library in a small town: the traditional way, or the Maxine Bleiweis way. For the past 17 years, Maxine has been the director of The Westport Library in our suburban town of 27,000 people. In her hands, the library hasn’t just been a place to get books. It’s been a vibrant tool for bringing out the best in others. The Library offers over 1,600 programs annually. To my eyes, Maxine has no conception of the word “can’t.” Some think that public libraries can’t be noisy, boisterous, provocative, outrageous or entertaining. They can’t buy – and program – robots, or attract thousands of inventors, scientists and hobbyists for a single event.” (via Forbes)
]]>16299America’s Star Libraries, 2014: Top-Rated Librarieshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/11/03/americas-star-libraries-2014-top-rated-libraries/
Mon, 03 Nov 2014 14:33:56 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=15861“We are very pleased to announce the results of the seventh edition of the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service, sponsored by Baker & Taylor’s Bibliostat. The LJ Index is a measurement tool that compares U.S. public libraries with their spending peers based on four types of output measures of their per capita use. For this year’s Star Libraries, please click on “The Star Libraries” above; for more on what’s next for the index, see pa”What’s Next for the LJ Index”. When the LJ Index and its Star Library ratings were introduced in 2008, our hope was that whether libraries were awarded stars or not, they would examine these statistics more closely—both for their own library and for their peers—and make fuller use of these and other types of data for local planning and evaluation purposes.” (via Library Journal)
]]>15861Mesa libraries pilot innovative technologies, programshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/08/19/mesa-libraries-pilot-innovative-technologies-programs/
Tue, 19 Aug 2014 15:33:44 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=15502“Picture a library. If the first thing that comes to mind is a card catalog, “you’re long overdue for a visit,” according to Public Library Association President Larry Neal. For years, libraries have been on the leading edge when it comes to piloting new technologies, Neal said. They were some of the first places to offer access to desktop computers, the Internet and e-readers. But as libraries’ offerings have evolved, their marketing and branding efforts haven’t necessarily kept pace. And while surveys show the majority of Americans still believe in the importance of libraries, the discrepancy has left more tech-savvy generations wondering why they would ever need to visit one.” (via AZ Central)
]]>15502U.S. libraries become front line in fight against homelessnesshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/07/17/u-s-libraries-become-front-line-in-fight-against-homelessness/
Thu, 17 Jul 2014 12:44:27 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=15418“George Brown, a homeless man in Washington, has a simple answer when asked how often he uses a public library. “Always. I have nowhere else to go,” Brown, 65, said outside the U.S. capital’s modernist central library after a morning reading sociology books. “When it’s hot, you come here to stay out of the heat. When it’s cold, you come here to stay out of the cold.” Brown is among the hundreds of thousands of homeless people who have put the almost 9,000 U.S. public libraries, the most of any country in the world, in the forefront of the battle against homelessness.” (via Reuters)
]]>15418How a public library set me freehttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/05/18/how-a-public-library-set-me-free/
Sun, 18 May 2014 20:44:57 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=15123“My parents and two older brothers arrived in Queens from Cuba in 1967, squeezing into a one-bedroom apartment that got even more cramped when I showed up two years later. Suspicious of everyone and unable to communicate in English, my parents weren’t about to let their kids roam unsupervised in the streets of their graffiti-strewn city. And since they both worked, we boys spent a lot of time at home making the best of our crowded quarters. School provided a welcome change of scenery, but that, too, was a somewhat constricting environment in which I was relegated to an uncomfortable chair in an overcrowded room for hours at a time. The main public library on Merrick Boulevard was the first place I was allowed to visit on my own. I started going when I was 8. Everything I needed was located on what seemed to me an endless single floor. Wandering around that building aimlessly on a Saturday afternoon offered a sense of freedom I’d never experienced before.” (via The Washington Post)
]]>15123The Future For Public Libraries: Specialized Features Not Starbuckshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/03/30/the-future-for-public-libraries-specialized-features-not-starbucks/
Sun, 30 Mar 2014 17:34:41 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=14870“My head is still spinning from Panos Mourdoukoutas’ post at Forbes last week suggesting that there should be a Starbucks in every local library. Granted it appeared in Forbes and they slant corporate but it might just be the most near-sighted, wackiest story I have read in some time. Of course he starts out proclaiming his love for his local library but before it’s over he says “Simply put, Starbucks and local libraries supplement each other nicely—they are both “third places” with different rules of conduct, catering to different community segments. That’s a good reason to have a Starbucks store in every library. ”Why not put a jail in every library for it also has “different rules of conduct, catering to different community segments.” They would compliment each other nicely by providing literacy services and job training to inmates while scaring the pants off the kids so they won’t go astray of the law.” (via Book Patrol)
]]>14870Breaking Out of the Library Mold, in Boston and Beyondhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/03/09/breaking-out-of-the-library-mold-in-boston-and-beyond/
Sun, 09 Mar 2014 20:58:30 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=14775“An old joke about libraries goes like this: A boy walks into a
library and asks for a burger and fries. “Young man!” the startled librarian reprimands. “You are in a library.” So the boy repeats his order, only this time, he whispers. So much has changed in libraries in recent years that such a scene may not be so far-fetched. Many libraries have become bustling community centers where talking out loud and even eating are perfectly acceptable.” (NYTimes.com)
]]>14775Public libraries get online access to research journalshttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/02/03/public-libraries-get-online-access-to-research-journals/
Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:59:57 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=14618“Hundreds of thousands of research journal articles are to be made available on computers in public libraries. The Access to Research initiative will give the public access to articles on health, biological research, engineering and social sciences for the first time More than 8,000 journals from around the world are included. It is hoped this will encourage more people to use public libraries. The Publishing Licensing Society (PLS) is behind the scheme.” (via BBC)
]]>14618Public libraries seek to rebrandhttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/01/21/public-libraries-seek-to-rebrand/
Tue, 21 Jan 2014 14:12:01 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=14503“In a sign of the times, the Willingboro Public Library is trying to reinvent itself with a fresh slogan and logo to make it more relevant. “You have to keep up with all of the trends,” said library director Christine King. “We want to dispel the notion that we all do is dispense books.” In seeking to rebrand itself, the library has embarked on an ambitious mission to change its image as a community center where visitors can attend workshops, take an exercise class, or see an art exhibit. “We want people to know that you can get information, but you can also get information that can change your life,” King said in a recent interview.” (via Philly.com)
]]>14503Indy library is drawing road map to its futurehttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/01/17/indy-library-is-drawing-road-map-to-its-future/
Fri, 17 Jan 2014 14:34:29 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=14493“At a time when the existence of public libraries has been questioned, a strong chorus of voices, supported by local and national research, has demonstrated that libraries do matter. They matter in a way that reveals the central role modern libraries play in a digital age. Findings by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation show that a public library’s role as a technology resource and training center has exploded over the past decade. Free access to computers provides a lifeline for those in need to apply for jobs, secure government services and connect with the world community. As an extension of the education system, the public ­library has become a valued partner in enhancing literacy, not only in the traditional sense of reading and comprehension, but in developing cultural, media, financial and civic literacy among citizens.” (via Indianapolis Star)
]]>14493Maine libraries write new chapter on lendinghttp://www.librarystuff.net/2014/01/02/maine-libraries-write-new-chapter-on-lending/
Thu, 02 Jan 2014 18:28:22 +0000http://www.librarystuff.net/?p=14380“So here’s the dilemma: You’ve been asked to bake a cake shaped like a dinosaur for a child’s birthday, but you’re hesitant to spend money on a pan you’ll use only once.What to do? If you live in New Gloucester, the answer is easy. Go to the New Gloucester Public Library and simply check the pan out, just like you would a book or DVD. And while you’re there, peruse the other 46 specialty cake pans the library has in its collection, including Dora the Explorer and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.” (via The Portland Press Herald)
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